1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to light sockets, and more particularly, to light sockets for ceiling fans having an up light.
2. Description of Related Art
Electric ceiling fans are commonly used to provide improved circulation in a room and assist heating and air conditioning systems. Known ceiling fans generally consist of an electric motor suspended by a shaft or down rod from a ceiling. Other ceiling fan styles are mounted such that there is little or no clearance between the top of the motor and the ceiling. These ceiling fans are known as "snugger" or "zero-clearance" fans, and are used where floor to ceiling clearance is too small for suspending the fan motor with a down rod. The motor includes a stationary portion (the stator) and a rotating portion (the rotor). A decorative housing surrounds the motor, with an opening provided in the lower portion of the housing to allow a plurality of blades to be mounted to the rotating portion. Conventional ceiling fans typically incorporate one or more electrical switches encased within a switch housing beneath the motor for controlling the speed and rotational direction of the blades.
Known ceiling fans often have light fixtures attached to the bottom portion of motor, below the blades. In many applications, the light fixture is mounted to the switch housing below the fan blades, with the light fixture lamps casting illumination in a downward fashion. In many applications, however, it is desirable to provide indirect lighting, such as casting light upward toward the ceiling above the fan.
With ceiling fans adapted to receive existing up-light fixtures, typically there is not sufficient clearance between the top of the motor and the ceiling from which the ceiling fan is suspended. This lack of clearance becomes problematic when it is time to replace the light bulbs in the up-light fixtures. Furthermore, when the up-light fixtures are located above the ceiling fans, the bulbs inside the up-light fixtures are hidden from view. The light sockets may also be placed in a narrow light pan, which leaves insufficient room for grasping and turning the bulb in a conventional light socket. Thus, to change a light bulb inserted in a conventional light socket, one would have to reach inside the light pan and grope for the bulb. This method is awkward and time consuming. Further, with the conventional light sockets, the light pan which contains the socket and bulb must necessarily be made large enough to accommodate sufficient room for threading or unthreading the bulb. Such a predicament results in design limitations on the size and shape of the light pan.
Hence, a need exists for an improved light socket for ceiling fans with an up-light feature. The present invention addresses these shortcomings associated with the prior art.